1893 The Plant Steamship Line steamers Olivette and Mascotte provided tri-weekly mail and passenger service from Nov. 1 to May 1, arriving from Tampa and leaving for Havana on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Arriving from Havana and leaving for Tampa on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Mondays. From May 1 to Nov. 1 bi-weekly service was provided with the Sunday and Monday ship not operating. The ships docked at Key West Commercial Co.'s wharf. The New York and Texas Steam Ship Co.'s ships arrived from New York and left for Galveston on Wednesdays and arrived from Galveston and sailed for New York on Saturdays. The steamers Concha, Nueces, Comal and Lampasas provided the service.

1898 The Navy was ordered to blockade the coast of Cuba. The USS Nashville, about 12 miles south of Sand Key, took the Spanish steamer Buena Ventura as the first prize in the war with Spain.

1898 The city went wild over news that the fleet had departed and war with Spain had begun. The Cuban and American flags were on every house and the San Carlos was covered in red, white and blue bunting.

1953 The crew filming the movie "12 Mile Reef" arrived and took over the Casa Marina Hotel. The movie stared Terry Moore, Robert Wagner, Gilbert Roland and J. Carroll Nash, who arrived with the rest of the crew. Seventy-five locals were used as extras.

1972 The old Monroe General Hospital was being converted to offices for use by the expanding Monroe County government.